Are Family Physicians Educated about Men’s Health?
Keywords:
Male, Health education, Curriculum, Family physicianAbstract
Objective The goal of this study was to explore what quantity and quality of training family doctors currently receive in the field of men’s health.
Methods: A mixed-methodology was used. A quantitative survey was send to program directors of Canadian family medicine training programs. This was followed by qualitative interviews of selected program directors and two focus groups with practicing family physicians.
Program directors from all 17 family medicine training programs in Canada were surveyed. One focus group consisted of family physicians in urban practice and the other group had family physicians in a rural setting.
A case study method with a sequential transformative strategy was utilized. Quantitative data were analysed for frequencies and relationships between variables were determined using chi-squares. The qualitative data were thematically analysed through a deductive process.
Results: Very few of the 17 training programs had any structured curriculum in men’s health. The focus group participants also reported a lack of any formal men’s health training. Exposure to men’s health topics were sporadic and preceptor dependent. Six different themes were identified: current men’s health teaching in programs, previous men’s health training, need for a curriculum, different mental and physical disease topics, gender differences and procedures related to men’s health.
Conclusion: Very little formal training in men’s health takes place in family medicine training programs in Canada.
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References
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